Kamble, RUGarg, BSRaut, AVBharambe, MS2020-01-022020-01-022019-09Kamble RU, Garg BS, Raut AV, Bharambe MS. Participation of Village Health Nutrition and Sanitation Committees (VHNSC) on Social determinants of health (SDH) in a District in Maharashtra.. Indian Journal of Community Health. 2019 Sep; 31(3): 401-4060971-75872248-9509http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/191988Background: Community participation is one of the core principles of Primary Health Care. VHNSC is example of community participation and is formed to take collective actions on health issues and its social determinants of health (SDH). It is envisaged as being central to local level community action to support decentralized health planning. Work on actual participation of VHSNC on SDH is almost negligible. Therefore, the present research study was conducted to find out the participation of VHNSC on SDH. Aim: To assess the involvement of VHNSC on SDH. Methods and Material: Knowledge on SDH and health actions of VHNSCs were studied using a questionnaire which was pretested and suitably modified. The study was conducted in all the 83 VHNSCs under 4 PHCs namely Waiphad, Anji, Kharangana Gode and Talegaon were choosen as per feasibility. Results: Members of all VHNSCs had knowledge about access to safe drinking water, sanitation and nutrition as SDH. Members from 6 (7.2%) VHNSCs could not relate literacy with health. Most had to be probed regarding knowledge about addiction to tobacco and alcohol; social deprivation and availability of emergency transport. Conclusions: VHNSC are moving in the right direction however they require continuous support, hand holding and monitoring from government and other NGOs.HealthSanitationCommunity ParticipationJournal ArticleIndiaAll India Institute of Medical Sciences, BhubaneswarMahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, SevagramMahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, SevagramMahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram